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Saturday, 6 February 2010

Church of St Anne (Shandon) in Cork

SHANDON CHURCH

St Anne’s Church, high on a northside hill, is one of the most familiar landmarks in Cork City, visited by many tourists but generally ignored as a visit by the locals.

I walked up there recently and enjoyed my stroll. The historic church has eight bells 8 which weigh 6 tons and first rang out over the city in 1752. The patients in the nearby (now closed) North Infirmary would often have been disturbed from their slumber by the bells’ vibrations (lessened in modern times by improvements in placement).

But it is the clocks on the sides of the church tower that have most engaged Corkonians over the years who jokingly called them the Four Liars as it was reckoned that the four clocks never agreed on the time! Not that I’ve heard that joke recently!

The “Goldie Fish” mounted high on the church has entered the local literature and indeed Shandon comes up regularly in the songs and poems of the city. Fr Prout’s nostalgic lines below are probably the most famous

"With deep affection and recollection,

I oft times think of those Shandon Bells"

Nowadays, after your visit to the church, where you can get to ring the bells and enjoy the view over the city, you may take a rest on the seats in the adjoining St Anne’s Park before walking back down to the city centre.

Check out my review (including map and contact details) of Church of St Anne (Shandon) - I am cork - on Qype